


20th of Pegasus Moon

by OwletPNG



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Happy Birthday Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:22:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22819204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OwletPNG/pseuds/OwletPNG
Summary: Felix Hugo Fraldarius doesn't celebrate birthdays. Not since the Tragedy of Duscur.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 14





	20th of Pegasus Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I wanted to write something for Felix's birthday, and I'm sorry if this seemed kinda ooc for some of the characters! Please do tell me if you have critique!

Felix Hugo Fraldarius didn’t celebrate birthdays.

When he was twelve, his father celebrated his birthday with an extravagant party. Soon to be a teenager, his father had told him. Felix had been excited. Dimitri, Ingrid, Sylvain, Glenn, all around him. Presents flooded his room, cards from all over the Fraldarius territory. It was his birthday when Glenn had gifted him a sword. For proper training, he had told Felix, with a twinkle in his eye, so a squirt like you can finally grow up and defeat me. Felix had been excited. A proper sword, not like the wooden ones he had been using to spar against Glenn. It was beautiful. This was the best birthday, he declared to Glenn, who only laughed and teased him.

_Then I have to make it the best every year, dumbass!_

A month before his birthday, Glenn died. The broken promise floated in the air as Felix stared at the armour returned to the manor. His father’s words had cut through him, and Felix lashed out. His thirteenth birthday was spent in the darkness, in anger, in sadness, in regrets. The house was too quiet.

He stopped celebrating after that. No matter how much Rodrigue tried to tell him to come in, for some fun, no matter how much Sylvain and Ingrid and Dimitri stopped by, if they even could after the funeral, Felix had ignored them. Birthdays were a distraction. He had to grow stronger. Stronger. Stronger. That was the only way. Birthdays were meaningless. It wouldn’t be the same. There wouldn’t be anyone.

His seventeenth birthday was spent with the Professor, who invited him to tea. When they had walked up to him with the invitation, Felix had scoffed at them. “If it’s for a birthday celebration, count me out.”

“Why not?” Their voice had been even. Void of emotion. Felix was jealous. What he wouldn’t give to forget the heavy feeling that settled on his heart ever since every single last shit that the Goddess took in his life. Felix had rolled his eyes.

“I don’t celebrate birthdays.”

“It’s not a birthday tea party then. It’ll be a normal one. I want to have a chance to talk to you.”

“I’m busy.”

“Too busy to have a spar before we have a tea party? “

Felix had agreed on the spot. With the Professor, the heavy feeling on his chest disappeared, if not for a moment. He could forget that it was his birthday. He could forget the darkness that would greet him in the last few hours of his birthday. The silence. The darkness. The broken promise.

Edelgard’s betrayal came after that. Felix assumed the Fraldarius dukedom had figured out that he was no longer celebrating his birthday. For five years he spent it fighting. Killing people on the field, defending his territory, protecting the townspeople. For five years, he spent his birthdays surrounded by blood. And for each of those birthdays, he tossed the letter that arrive every morning from his father into a drawer. They had been all the same thing. Wishing a happy birthday to someone who didn’t need such distractions. Felix had rather he spend it killing others. It took away the gloom again. Distracted him from his own nightmares.

And then the Professor came back, and it was a whirlwind. Dimitri was haunted. They killed Cornelia. His father died. Dimitri finally snapped out of his stupid trance. They freed Faerghus. They took over Enbarr. They killed Edelgard.

They won the war.

On his twenty-fourth birthday Felix spent it in his new office, signing papers as the new Duke Fraldarius. As he opened up a drawer to place a stack of papers inside he came across the unopened letters from Rodrigue. Out of curiosity he opened it, and read it. He sat there, reading every letter that his father had sent him. Ones that dated back to his thirteenth birthday. In them, Rodrigue wrote messages. Of how he was proud of Felix, of his achievements. Of his quirks, of his behaviour. And the last message to him, at the very bottom of the letter, was always a repeat. 

_I know he promised you the best birthday. I’m sorry he was stolen before he could fulfil that promise. Next year let’s have a private one with him. Happy birthday, Felix._

_I know I said next year last year, but you never did come out this year. Maybe next year. I’m sorry Felix, I know it must be hard. Let’s have one in town next year, okay? I love you, Felix. Happy birthday._

_It’s okay, Felix. I know you are still mourning. Take your time. Let’s have a private one next year. And the next. Just the two of us. I love you, Felix. Happy birthday._

_I left food for you when you wake up. I love you, Felix. Happy birthday._

_I love you, Felix. Happy birthday._

His birthday was spent in tears, tears over losing his father, his biggest supporter, the last person that Felix knew he shouldn’t have abandoned. Tears dotted the letters, ones dating all the way up to his seventeenth birthday. His last birthday before Rodrigue passed away. Staring at the letters, Felix knew he would never get them again. How many days had his father spent it alone, waiting, waiting for Felix to exit his room for his birthday? Felix wished he had left his room, but it was too late. Too late in this empty place, where his father’s room would never be occupied again.

On his twenty-fifth birthday, Felix woke up in his too empty house. The kingdom of Faeghus had been considerably calmer, giving him a bit of respite. He woke up to flowers, arranged next to his bed. The smell was sweet, but not cloying. He had gotten dressed, and was greeted with a large breakfast. His favourites were served, though he questioned it not. He simply smiled at the chefs, who appeared delighted. Getting up, Felix prepared to head out to town. He had an event to attend, a sparring match between the most able of men in town.

And off he rode, on his horse, entering town only to see it bustling with activity, people dancing in every corner, music on all streets. As he walked through the townspeople greeted him with a wave or a shout. And each time, Felix would smile back and wave. He felt someone grab his hand, and he looked down to see a little girl, grinning toothily at him.

“Duke Fraldarius! For you, my lord!” And she tied a flower bracelet around his wrist, before she tugged on his hand, pulling him towards the town center. “Come, my lord! Quickly! Or you’ll miss it!”

A confused Felix followed along, her infectious laughter spreading a smile on his face. And he took a step into the town center, and he stopped short. His mouth fell open, and the girl tugging his hand released it, laughing as she ran into the middle, hiding behind a large man, a smile imprinted on his wrinkled face, age clearly taking a toll on him.

Gilbert stepped forward, reaching out to Felix. He had a sheepish smile on his face, his eye crinkled with how big his smile was. “Sorry, Felix. You don’t mind, do you?” He gently pulled Felix, who stumbled on his own feet, towards the middle. Byleth held out a small gift, smiling so wide as they kissed him on the forehead.

“I tried to convince them otherwise. But they didn’t particularly like the idea of not doing something for you.” Byleth’s eyes were dancing with mirth, and Felix thought that perhaps they didn’t do as much persuasion as they usually did.

“Felix! Come on, you never told any of us! That’s just mean! Here, Mercie and I baked some chocolates for you! It’s not that sweet, I promise!” Annette was next, wrapping her arms around the taller man, laughing as Mercedes stood behind her, smiling. “It wasn’t much, from the both of us, Felix, but we thought it would be nice for you to have something to eat.” Mercedes was soft, as she kissed his cheeks and pushed him further inside as Annette untangled herself.

“Felix! Here, I have this book for you. Don’t worry, it’s not about knights. But I think you’ll enjoy this one!” Ashe presented him with a book, and Felix took it on top of the chocolates and Byleth’s gift. “I- Wh-” Ashe shushed him, laughing and patting him on his back. “Keep the words for later, tell it to the ones who organized it!” 

Felix stumbled further, Dedue catching him before he fell over. The softspoken man only smiled at him, righting him up, and patting him on his back gently. “Enjoy the food.” And off Felix was pushed, his eyes only catching the large array of food set aside on the tables, where the townsfolk were helping themselves to.

And in the middle were the last three, Ingrid, Sylvain… Dimitri. Ingrid ran up to him, throwing arms around his neck and squeezing. “Felix! I thought you wouldn’t come! It’s been ages, huh? Since we were here together like this.” She squeezed his arm, and Felix sputtered as she roughly dragged him all the way to where Sylvain was waiting. A whole leg of ham was aside, wrapped up and tied with a note that had the Galatea seal on it.

Sylvain clapped his back so loudly Felix almost dropped his gifts. Hooking a hand around his neck, Sylvain rested his head on Felix’s, laughing and messing up his hair. “I told you you would come. Come on buddy, give me that, you still have a whole big item to take!” And Sylvain took away the presents, setting them aside with the leg of ham, and added a chessboard to the pile. He caught Felix staring, and he laughed. “Something to keep you entertained with when you get bored! It’s not sparring, but it’s good for tactics!”

Dimitri cleared his throat, and Felix turned to him, the king of Faerghus, standing right before him.

Felix stared at him, as Dimitri began to squirm, before he spoke, “You planned this.” His tone was accusatory, and Dimitri looked taken aback.

“Y-Yes. I thought it would be nice, what with the peace we have now.” Dimitri’s gaze softened, and he reached out to take Felix’s hand, his grip tightening as he smiled gently at Felix, so gentle Felix forget that a boar once resided inside of him.

“Happy Birthday, Felix. I know this might be what you want, I’m no Glenn, but… well. This isn’t a day to be alone. Especially not you.”

The chorus of “Happy birthday!” rang across the yard, as Dimitri stood aside to reveal a large cake, two candles sitting on it, lit for the world to see. And he stared at it, and then back at Dimitri. And he felt Sylvain behind him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Ingrid at his side, taking his hand. And he recalled Rodrigue, writing in his letters. And he felt tears starting to blur his eyes, blurring away Dimitri’s panicked look, feeling his warm hands holding his arms as Felix’s legs threatened to buckle, grown weak when he felt the weight on his chest lift. He felt Sylvain, laughing away by his side, and Ingrid, holding his hand as she scolded Sylvain, probably. He felt himself almost fall over with the weight of Annette and Ashe jumping onto him and hugging him, forcing him into the middle of a huge group, the warmth of everyone else enveloping him. He cried, for his father, not out of sadness, but of an indescribable feeling, his heart soaring in the air as he allowed himself to be patted and fawned over. He looked at the side, where Byleth stood, and they smiled, gently.

“This is what you wanted, all those years back, didn’t you?”

And Felix felt his smile grow, and the tears flowed further, as he laughed, unabashed, punching Sylvain on the shoulder, laughing as he hugged Annette, as he could hear the townspeople and the friends he made in the Academy shouting Happy Birthday. And, for a moment, Felix could hear, his father and Glenn, shouting with the crowd, screaming at the top of their lungs, and for a moment Felix allowed himself to believe in the thought of ghosts.

For that year, and every subsequent year after that, Felix no longer feared the night of his birthday, the heavy atmosphere replaced with a soothing peace. And every year, without fail, he would visit his father and his brother, a quiet moment spent with them before the boisterous events ahead.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy it! Happy Birthday, Felix!


End file.
